The present invention relates to lampshades, and in particular to lampshades of the collapsible or "knock-down" variety, which may be shipped and stored in an essentially flat form and then easily assembled by a consumer for use.
Most lampshades designed for use with decorative electric lamps cannot be disassembled for shipment and storage. Since lampshades are typically quite light but bulky, they occupy considerably more space per unit weight when shipped than other manufactured products. Since the cost of shipping, particularly transoceanic shipping, is often based on volume, not weight, the cost of shipping lampshades either from overseas manufacturers or to overseas markets is relatively high. In addition, large retailers often measure the success of a particular product based on the dollar amount of sales per unit of shelf space occupied by the product. Thus even popular lampshades may be disfavored by such retailers in favor of other merchandise, given the large amount of shelf space occupied by the product and its relatively low cost.
Numerous attempts have been made to design collapsible lampshades to ameliorate these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,048 to Barnes discloses a collapsible lampshade frame with annular upper and lower support members connected by rib members. The rib members are pivotally mounted at each end to one of the support members. A hinge is located in the middle of each rib member, allowing it to fold such that the frame can lie flat with the rib members folded in half. A spider member is connected to each rib member by means of annular slides, with a rib member passing through each slide. By moving the slides of the spider member over the rib member hinges, the rib members are prevented from folding, thereby locking the lampshade frame in its unfolded state. To fold the frame, the slides of the spider member are moved up or down such that the hinges can again operate freely. The lampshade cover is not integrated with the frame, but is instead fitted over the frame part-way through the unfolding process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,492 to Strickland discloses a lampshade including a shade, a flexible member, and a rigid support. The shade is formed of a continuous resilient, pleated band. The flexible member passes through holes adjacent to one end of the band. The shade has notches near its middle on the interior side, which are designed to receive the rigid support. To lock the lampshade in its unfolded state, the rigid support is placed within the shade at the end opposite the flexible member, then pushed toward the flexible member until the rigid support locks into place in the notches on the interior of the shade. The result is a shade having a frusto-conical shape due to the tension formed at the narrow end of the shade by the flexible member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,992 to Tang discloses a lampshade of frusto-conical shape with a plurality of clips permanently secured within each of its ends in circumferentially spaced positions. To support the shade, two rigid rings are snapped into the clips. The rigid rings may be removed so that the lampshade can be folded for shipment or storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,987 to Dene discloses a frusto-conical lampshade, with an outer shell fitted over the smaller end of the shade. An inner shell of larger diameter is fitted within the shade, and drawn toward the outer shell, with a bolt passing through each of the shells to hold them together. The compression of the shade between the inner and outer shells holds the shade in the desired shape. The shade may be folded for shipment or storage by removing the bolt between the shells.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,222 to Gall discloses a knock-down lampshade frame formed of two ring members, with one ring member having a spider member affixed thereto. A plurality of rib members connect the ring members by means of releasably securing clamping members. The shade is a separate piece, designed to fit over the frame after assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,099 to Vicars-Harris discloses a knock-down lampshade consisting of a pair of rings and a plurality of connecting rods. At the free end of each rod is a T-shaped socket part which snaps onto the rings to form the lamp shade frame. The lamp shade cover is then sewn, clipped, or otherwise adhered to the frame after assembly.
Each of these lampshades suffers from the disadvantage that, when in the knocked-down or collapsed state, the lampshade consists of a plurality of separate parts. Shipping the lampshade in multiple parts increases the likelihood that the lampshade will be damaged during shipment, since the parts may move with respect to each other within the lampshade packaging, thereby tearing or otherwise damaging the shade itself. Packaging designed to prevent such movement increases the cost of production for such lampshades. Also, once the consumer purchases the lampshade, assembly is made more complicated by the use of multiple parts. In addition, the use of multiple parts increases the likelihood that the consumer may misplace one of the smaller lampshade parts, thereby rendering the lampshade unusable. This likelihood increases if the consumer uses the lampshade for a period, then desires to ship or store the lampshade in the knocked-down state as, for example, when the consumer moves to a new home. What is desired therefore is a lampshade that may be shipped and stored in a collapsed form, may be easily assembled by the purchaser, and is formed with the lampshade and frame being one integrated part to reduce the likelihood of damage during shipment, and reduce the likelihood that smaller parts may be misplaced.
Some of the lampshades described above also suffer from the disadvantage that, due to their design, they are inherently limited to a particular shape, such as frusto-conical. What is desired is a knock-down lampshade that may be manufactured in many different shapes to provide the consumer with a multitude of lampshade styles from which to choose.